Andrew Hessel

Andrew and Stephanie, Banff, Alberta, January 2006

Background

I received my MSc. in bacterial genomics from the University of Calgary in 1995. I immediately joined the Amgen Institute, a 120 person research facility located in Toronto, Canada, as a bioinformaticist. Eventually, I assumed the portfolio of research operations manager. Working as a bridge between the Institute, Amgen Inc., and Amgen Canada, I facilitated dozens of advanced research projects, many involving microarrays, genetic sequence analysis, and data mining. Today, the Institute, no longer affiliated with Amgen, is known as the Campbell Family Institute for Breast Cancer Research. In 2002, I was a co-founder of Miikana Therapeutics and helped create the virtual business model they successfully used. Miikana was sold to Entremed in December, 2005 for $21 million plus milestones.

Synthetic Biology and Open Source

Since 2004, I have turned my attention exclusively to two areas: Synthetic Biology and Open Source, ideas I believe will have major impact on the biotechnology over the next two decades. Synthetic Biology should replace classical genetic engineering for the same reasons that word processor replaced typewriters: productivity, efficiency, and ease-of-use. Meanwhile, open source should provide new avenues for biotechnology to expand as an industry. The iGEM program allows me to explore the intersection of these ideas and determine what does and doesn't work in practical use.

Contact Information

email: ahessel (at) gmail (dot) com (the best way to contact me)

IM: sailingandrew (at) hotmail (dot) com or google chat.

Skype: search for "Andrew Hessel", ahessel (at) gmail (dot) com, or 'beakerandrew'

home: 416.848.1725 (Toronto, eastern standard time)

Notes and Pictures

• Videos
• Musings
• Gene Wars -- interesting story
• iGEM Newsletter 1 (pdf)
• Missouri Trip report
• McGill Trip report
• iGEM Photos